Everything the Warriors can do, the Lakers can do bigger, better, costlier and splashier.

Yep, even when Warriors management works coolly and wisely (as it has of late), the Warriors are mostly building credibility; the Lakers build dynasties.

But let’s not go overboard on the Lakers’ recent mega-acquisitions of Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, at least in direct relation to the Warriors’ fledgling rise.

There are 10 reasons the Lakers’ moves aren’t the worst things in the world for the Warriors, and here they are:

1. Thanks to their own recent moves, the Warriors have players who theoretically match up with the Lakers super team.

Start with Andrew Bogut, a true center who, if fully healthy, can give Howard almost as many headaches as Howard gives everybody else.

And Stephen Curry and his point-guard back-up Jarrett Jack aren’t a terrible match-up against Nash.

OK, the Warriors certainly don’t have the personnel to counter Kobe Bryant or Pau Gasol, but almost nobody does.

And the Warriors aren’t bankrupt at those spots—they can toss David Lee, Carl Landry, Festus Ezeli and Draymond Green at Gasol, and Klay Thompson, Brandon Rush, Harrison Barnes and Richard Jefferson at Kobe.

I am in no way saying that the Warriors will ever be a super team with this roster. But they start off with a fighting chance against all rosters, even the super rosters.

2. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the Warriors’ bench, on paper, is better than the Lakers’ reserves.

3. With Bryant, Nash and Gasol edging out of their prime years, the Lakers are championship contenders and the Warriors aren’t, but for how long?

At max, the Lakers probably will get two more championship-level years of Kobe, Gasol and Nash. If they win two titles, of course, anything’s worth it.
But after Nash and Kobe start fading, the Lakers might start to look a lot like Orlando, with Dwight surrounded by a lot of expensive filler… and that’s presuming Howard re-signs next summer.

Yes, things have been known to get a little weird when Dwight isn’t in a great situation.

4. Kobe and Dwight might clash, and burn the whole thing down.

This is not the likeliest scenario this season, but it’s also easily imaginable.

5. Mike Brown might not be the right coach to handle all of this.

Phil Jackson, Chuck Daly, Mike Krzyzewski, Pat Riley, Doc Rivers, Erik Spoelstra… Those are the guys who have balanced the massive talents and egos and won large.

Many, many others have proven they couldn’t.

6. Oklahoma City is the still team beat to beat in the West.

Facts: The Lakers still don’t have a way to defend Russell Westbrook, who killed them in the playoffs; Kevin Durant is better than Kobe now.

If the Warriors are thinking about long-term West contention, the Thunder is the target, and it will be the Thunder for possibly the next decade.

7. I don’t think it’s likely, but what if Howard walks away as a free agent at the end of the season?

That’d mean the Lakers traded Andrew Bynum—their best young star—for one year of Howard.

8. The Lakers were already better than the Warriors before they added Howard and Nash, so it’s not like this re-orders the Warriors’ short-term

chances.

9. Co-owner Joe Lacob wants to turn the Warriors into the next Lakers, so why not do it with the Lakers at a glamorous high peak?
The Lakers can afford fly deep into luxury-tax territory mainly because of their massive new local TV deal. If the Warriors manage anything similar in their next round of negotiations, they can thank the Lakers for shaping the marketplace.

10. The Warriors didn’t tear up their rebuilt roster to trade for a Howard rental.

It wasn’t wrong for Lacob to chase Howard and dangle all kinds of names in front of Orlando for enticement. It was worth a shot.

But as Plan B, the Warriors got Bogut (who is under contract for two more seasons) for Monta Ellis and Ekpe Udoh.

Bogut isn’t better than Howard, but that will turn out to be a better, more sensible deal than any Lacob could’ve made for Howard, who probably would’ve left the Warriors ASAP as a free agent, anyway.

The Warriors aren’t a super team, but they aren’t wholly out-classed by the Lakers super team. No matter what the Lakers do, that’s a step for the Warriors.

The Warriors could still screw this up, of course. But if they do it right, the next several steps are the best ones.

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I would agree OKC is still better than the Lakers. Maybe San Antonio, too. But there’s just no way you can spin this to persuade me it’s anything but awful for the Dubs. Forget about the Lakers — the Nuggets improved themselves greatly with this trade. The West just keeps getting tougher…

ogkushfromthewestcoast

Lol… Tim are u serious? This whole article is saying nothing.. I can’t believe u get paid for this because your making no sense at all.. warriors aren’t even close to being on lakers leve.. your just another laker hater!!!

Can we at least wait to see if Bogut can play say 20 games+ before you start making bold proclamations?
The dude has been injured pretty much every year over the past few years.

lol?

who are warriors worst taem in the nba history with only a few times making the playoffs.. warriors have no business even being in the same sentence as the Lakers.. no1 gives a dame about the warriors.. keep hating on the lakers.. lakers will be champs you chumps

slamdunk

I like the makeup of the Warriors roster, and I agree that they probably cannot overtake the Lakers and their super-roster, but they can be competitive, as long as they have health. This coming season should be a test for Jackson to see how much he can get out of this improved lineup. Not sure if he is the right coach for the team, but Myers should watch him carefully, this team can get into playoff position if Bogut and Curry can stay on the court.

AB

Poppovich belongs on that list of coaches that has won.

Mano de Nada

If Howard’s back doesn’t completely recover it’ll be the Lakers who look like chumps, no doubt.

(And even if it does, he’s still no Shaq.)

Slimman

I agree Tim, the Lakers were already superior but with a weak bench, which is why they will not win the championship. The moves to get Nash and Howard don’t affect the Warriors so much, but Igoudala landing in Denver does. I felt that Denver and Utah were the paper teams that the Warriors could rise above this year. Now I look at the West and I see fewer opportunities for a post-season appearance with the Iggy addition.

OKC, the Lakers, and an aging San Antonio are all better than the Warriors and are the top-tier Western conference teams. After that Memphis is better, but not as good as the above teams, and is in the second-tier. Now that Denver has added Iggy they are in that same second tier, as well as the Clippers.

That is 6 of the 8 playoff spots. I felt that Houston and Dallas were fading, the Warriors and the T-Wolves were rising, and that Utah and Denver were treading water. Denver just got way better. The final two spots look like they will be battled for by Dallas, Utah, The Warriors and Minnesota. The West is a tough road.

In the East there is a huge drop-off after Miami. Chicago just got worse as did Boston. Indiana is ok, but can’t compete with those teams. The rest of the East couldn’t even compete for the 8th spot in the West.

Go Warriors! I expect playoffs, but it won’t be easy.

Slimman

I meant to say the final spot looks like it will be battled for by Dallas, MN, Utah, and the Warriors.

BearDown

Hey Kush and LOL,

You may not have noticed, but the Warriors have completely new ownership and FO. I guess that in your worlds saying that another team is improving is being a “laker hater”. The lakers are a good team and should continue to be a good team, given their money and their FO. But the Warriors are improving as well. There is no reason that the Warriors can’t be as successful as the Giants and the 9ers. Can the W’s FO pull it off? We’ll see.

HookedOnPhonics

My goodness, some of you really need to brush up on your reading comprehension skills (“skills” being extremely generous for you buffoons). At no point does Kawakami suggest the W’s are superior to the Lakers. In fact, he repeatedly qualifies his commentary with statements like:

“Everything the Warriors can do, the Lakers can do bigger, better, costlier and splashier.

Yep, even when Warriors management works coolly and wisely (as it has of late), the Warriors are mostly building credibility; the Lakers build dynasties.”

and:

“The Lakers were already better than the Warriors before they added Howard and Nash, so it’s not like this re-orders the Warriors’ short-term chances.”

and:

“I am in no way saying that the Warriors will ever be a super team with this roster.”

He does this in what we can only assume is an (apparently futile) attempt to pound it into your thick skulls that he is MERELY positing that the Warriors are going about their business sensibly as of late, despite being over-matched in the short term by superior teams like the Lakers. This bodes well for the long-term future of the franchise. It doesn’t mean that they’re superior right now, or that they will be in the next few years…they are, however, much more competitive than they would have been in the recent past, despite the Laker upgrades.

The only amusing thing about lol?’s comments is how laughably moronic and sloppy they are. As far as ogkushfromthewestcoast’s critique goes…well, let’s just say I could nearly feel brain cell’s dying in outright protest as I read it.

what?

Go compare yourself to teams your own size lmfao. Like the jazz, suns, and bobcat. Warriors are not even in the same league as the Lakers.

BearDown

what?

How could you write that nonsense after reading the thoughtful post by HookedOnPhonics? There’s nothing built into the bylaws of the NBA that says that the Warriors will always be a second-rate team. The new ownership is doing its best to improve the team, something the previous ownership had no interest in. Guess what, what?. If Cohan bought the Lakers, in a few years they would be just like the Warriors of a few years ago. It’s ownership that counts. Please re-read Tim’s article and the comments at #12. And think about what you are reading.

smh!!

I never heard so much BS in my life especially putting the warriors in the same context as the Lakers… Warriors won’t make to the playoffs this season just becuz they’re are way better small market teams in the west then the Warriors!! Theyre just mad cuz they couldnt rent Dwight Howard for a season, he definitely wont sign extention with GSW. So why tell lies to yourself!! GO LAKERS!!!

Skittle

I happen to be a Laker fan myself, but some of the stuff written by these other Laker zealots is downright embarrassing. Completely miss the crux of the article…almost as if they haven’t bothered to read it, they just want somewhere to vent or something. HookedOnPhonics at #12 couldn’t be more right, I’m sad to say (though I enjoyed the mockery in his/her last paragraph haha). I’d apologize for my Laker brethren, but suspect it wouldn’t make much difference.

redwood

The key to the Lakers is that the fuse is short on the whole damn thing.
Dwight can chose to test the market at Bynum likely will. The others? There are a LOT of once great players who are no longer playing..are DONE.

Anyone recall the big fade of Mookie Blaylock or Gary Payton? You can go from Star to …not Star pretty suddenly. With the Lakers…the average age of the OTHER relevant guys is over 35…a point where most GOOD players hang up the sneakers. The PAYROLL is higher than the GNP of Belgium,so it will be hard to even complete the bench with anyone beyond minimum.

This next year…GSW is just climbing the ladder. By the time they get close to the top,OKC will be up there and the Lakers will be Dwight and….Who?

PhillyJ

I think it is obvious by reading these comments that Faker fans are illiterate, uneducated and over emotional.

MK

As HookedOnPhonics points out, take a deep breath… Tim’s points are fair. All thatt said, there’s only one question that matters: “Mr. Lacob, would you do an even-up swap of rosters with the Lakers today?” If he’s only looking at the upcoming season, of course he would. But if he’s looking over a 5-year horizon, maybe yes…maybe no. Just depends what the plan is. And make no mistake, Joe Lacob is not Chris Cohan — he has a vision for this team. That should be clear by now.

too bad that when they had a chance to get it right with the new CBA they chucked it. I wonder how many Laker bandwagon fans there would be if the playing field was actually leveled and they had a hard cap much like the NFL or NHL? I wonder how many banners would be flying?

Championships and rings are bought not won in the NBA.

LA idiots

Well even if the Howard trade doesn’t work out I am sure David Stern or one of his cronies will find a owner stupid enough to trade one of his star players to the Lakers for nothing so the NBA can get the 2nd biggest market deep into the playoffs as usual.

DubsneedDubs

Wow, can these Lakers “fans” even read (except Skittle)? I mean I know they ain’t the brightest, but come on now. Tim clearly states the Warriors aren’t greatly affected by the Howard trade and he makes some good points. Where are you getting all this, “they are on the same level as the Lakers” stuff? Lakers “fans” don’t think into the future. What if Howard leaves? Will Kobe retire? Of course, they don’t care, they’ll just jump to another team.

BearDown

Can we trade these Laker “fans” to another blog? There must be some DmbFk blogs in S CA that would be happy to have them. I really like to read intelligent comments, not this kind of drivel. Maybe Feltbot needs some readers…

Lime

Well both the Lakers and Warriors have U.S. Olympians- Kobe and Bob Fitzgerald!

Nick Fury

I can’t believe some of you guy’s are actually taking the time to critique the illiterate Crayola babble of a Laker fan.

The Warriors have to worry about themselves – the Lakers don’t control the W’s destiny. The Lakers starters are immensely talented, but old. The W’s are up and coming.

I’m looking forward to trades, pickups, etc. The W’s braintrust needs to continue to upgrade the roster in any way possible especially since their draft pick is likely going to the Jazz and the salaries nearing the luxury tax. Trade up to a star/superstar player is needed.

Collectively – I’m hoping the W’s can improve like the Indiana Pacers played last season. No superstars – just a collection of good/star players – and gave the Miami Heat a tough series.

Unfortunately, next offseason is where Jefferson’s and/or Biedrins’ contracts will be more attractive (expiring) to rebuilding teams.

Better Fred Than Red

I don’t think it’s right that the league will let Steve Nash play with a walker next year…he also might need a neck brace from watching Curry zip right around him….

orangeandblack

Kawi makes sense. If Bugs and Curry are healthy, the dubs will be a LOT better team than last year. I’ll take it at this point.

Emmanuel

Are u serious warriors looooool I wish he would give some the stuff he’s smoking on be u even think putting them in the same sentence with lakers try comparing them with teams that are still better than them teams like Denver,Memphis,Minnesota,Clippers,Dallas etc. Hahahahaha warriors I almosted choked on my food and all Laker haters don’t be mad cuase your team hasn’t done anything in the past decade or so

Dave

I think the Lakers main edge over the Warriors at this stage is health. If the Warriors are healthy, I agree with Tim. They can play with anyone, and stand a chance to win every night.

That Man

I think Nash is a bigger pickup for the Lakers than Howard. They traded the 2nd best center for the best center. An upgrade, no doubt. But for Nash, they got rid of the 20th (?) best PG for the #5 PG. (CP, RW, RR, DW, SN) Huge Upgrade.
And it doesn’t really matter. Warriors still suck, Lakers are top 4 team in the West. If the Warriors stay healthy and play up to their ability, they can make the 7th or 8th seed. If the Lakers do the same they can win the championship. NBA is the same as always….
How bout dem Niners.

Raider Heisman

“Facts: The Lakers still don’t have a way to defend Russell Westbrook, who killed them in the playoffs”

More accurate fact: The way you defend quick guards like Westbrook, Paul, Rondo, etc is by taking away their penetration. No guard in the league can do this (these guys can’t even defend each other)… You need a center to do this. Is there a better big man in the league that Howard at defending the lane and making these guys jump shooters? Why do you think this guy has won multiple defensive MVPs?

For all the talk about how the Lakers are going to light up the scoreboard…. too many people don’t realize that Howard instantly makes them a premier defensive team. Howard, MWP, and Kobe are premier defensive players. No team in the NBA can say they have a premier defensive player at guard, forward, and center.

If you really think this new Lakers squad can’t defend Westbrook…. you really don’t know much about basketball. As for OKC being better than the Lakers…. maybe in August… but in May and June that won’t be the case. The Lakers have a higher ceiling than both OKC and the Heat. It’s now a matter of when these guys will get it together….

sincewilt

# 11: The lakers will lower the records of other teams in the west, giving the Worriers a bit of a better chance (to finish in the playoffs, not to advance much this year)

Laker fans were all wearing Durrant jerseys for about two weeks and went out and bought shoes to match claiming that they have been a OKC fan all along…then a week later they pulled out the lebron and wade jerseys and bought a set of new matching sweet kicks for the ladies to claim that they are born and raised in South Beach.. probably got a tattoo and a nipple ring also… In the past when San Antonio beat the lakers they would universally decide to not get Duncan jerseys because he was too fundimental and pull out the recycled bo jackson silver and black raiders uniforms to hint their color alligence to a winning club …and get a set of new shoes to match

My only complaint is you said Durant is better than Kobe now. What is that based on? Is it because you want Durant to be better than Kobe? He is younger thats about it. He can score yeah but not on Kobe’s level lets be serious. Yeah he’s got 3 scoring titles I know. Last years was compliments of Kobe not playing for the scoring title against a horrible Kings team. He has no post game yet… has WNBA shoulders and you say he is better than Kobe. The media is destroying peoples brains. lol…

rtiff68

Raider-Heisman:

If you really think that Kobe and Metta are still elite defensive players, then you haven’t watched an NBA game for about 3 years.

Overall, this trade for the Lakers isn’t as much about building a super team now as it is about having a superstar to build upon going forward. If you look past the names, the Lakers are a team with 3 starters past their primes, and absolutely nothing on their bench after their 6th man. While I certainly could see them winning this year, I would still consider Miami and OKC as the odds-on favorites to make it back to the Finals.

As for the Warriors, they have a few things they haven’t had in ages. Balance, depth, a chance to compete for a late playoff spot and a ton assets should a superstar become available in the near future.

…and so, the Lakers have another superstar big to build around– par for the course. The Warriors? They finally have a foundation built and a blueprint for future success.